The Football Forecast

Newcastle: Mitrovic – stay or go?

After failing to make an appearance against Chelsea, Mitrovic’s NUFC career is at a crossroads and I’ll be analyzing his best move.

In the Serb’s debut season it was easy for him to get game time due to there being no other options at striker. However, the signing of Dwight Gayle and how clinical he has been pushed Mitrovic away from the starting eleven and he hasn’t regained the spot back.

Mitrovic’s development has suffered because of his lack of minutes on the pitch. Despite changing the game when he came on against West Brom when Newcastle were 2-0 down, Benitez still refuses to play him. When Newcastle were 3-1 down to Chelsea and something needed to change, he wasn’t brought on. That can be Benitez’s only real criticism at Newcastle, his questionable team selections and substitutes.

In the Chelsea match when the team were pinned down and long balls were the only real option, having Dwight Gayle on his own is never going to work. A player like Mitrovic is able to disrupt defenders and win balls with his strength. Something neither Gayle or Joselu can do.

It’s a great show of dedication that Mitrovic wants to stay and force his way into the side, however, it’s best for his career to leave for another club. I can understand why Benitez doesn’t play him; a typical Benitez striker is quick and clinical like Dwight Gayle or prime Fernando Torres, but it’s best for the sake of results that Mitrovic is given a run in the side. This is not an attack on Benitez before anyone says it, more of a criticism which is allowed.

As much as I want to see Mitrovic thrive at Newcastle, he should leave for a new club and Newcastle should reinvest that money into a new striker. Just to reiterate, this article was not an attack on Benitez to get him to play one of my favourite players merely my opinion, I can understand why Benitez is cautious of playing Mitrovic.